McPherson County Community Foundation

Mission

To serve the common good for the county’s residents, building strong communities by engaging people in philanthropy and developing a permanent endowment to provide resources, now and for generations to come

Most Meaningful Change

In 2012 we changed our granting procedures to remove the traditional “Request for Proposal” process and began accepting applications on a regular basis without limits on the amount organizations may request for giving. Because of this process, we are giving grantees the opportunity to strategically review their budget and program needs, develop a budget based on those needs, review funding opportunities and then submit a proposal to the foundation based on their potential shortfall. Because of this change, we tripled the grant dollars awarded in one year and doubled the number of grants awarded.

To serve the common good for the county’s residents, building strong communities by engaging people in philanthropy and developing a permanent endowment to provide resources, now and for generations to come

Organization Description

Community Foundation

Other Description

Did not answer

Approximate Size of the Population Serviced

29,500

Total Paid Staff (Full-Time Equivalents)

2

Total Unpaid Staff (Full-Time Equivalents)

Did not answer

Total Board Members

13

Financial Information (in U.S. Dollars)

Organization’s Total Income in Last Fiscal Year

$794,643

Organization’s Gifts Income in Last Fiscal Year

$747,647

Organization’s Total Expenditures in Last Fiscal Year

$1,477,112

Organization’s Grantmaking Budget in Last Fiscal Year

$887,459

Does Organization Have an Endowment

Yes

Value of Endowment (or Financial Reserves) as of the End of Last Fiscal Year

$16,069,703

Change in Financial Status Over Last Three Years

Significant improvement

Priorities and Achievements

Factors that Played a Role in the Origins of Your Organization

Community leadership

Played a centrally important role

Philanthropic gifts

Played an important role

Grassroots activism

Played a slight role

Inadequate government services

No role

Changes in the political environment

No role

Changes in the economic environment

No role

Government initiative funding

No role

Foundation initiative funding

Played a centrally important role

Bilateral or multilateral initiative funding

No role

Favorable legal or fiscal policies

No role

Time Spent Working in Following Areas

Neighborhood

None

Locally

Lots of time

Regionally

None

Nationally

None

Internationally

None

Rate Importance of the Following Functions

Grantmaking

Centrally important

Having local people as leaders in the organization

Important but not central

Seeking local donations

Centrally important

Having a gender balance in the organization

Slightly important

Board reflective of community diversity

Slightly important

Building an endowment

Centrally important

Serving donor needs

Centrally important

Acting as a fiscal intermediary for the community

Important but not central

Building inclusion and trust in the community

Important but not central

Pursuing equity

Important but not central

Accountability to local people

Centrally important

Raising money for grantmaking annually

Important but not central

Community development

Important but not central

In the Last Year, Extent to Which Programming and/or Grantmaking Involved Work in the Following Areas

Arts and culture

Fair amount

Education

Fair amount

Environment

Little

Health

Fair amount

Human and social services

Fair amount

Human rights

Not at all

International relations

Not at all

Religion

Little

Economic development

Little

Conflict resolution/bridging different parts of the community

Not at all

Information technology

Not at all

Strengthening local or regional government

Not at all

Housing

Little

Children

Fair amount

Water

Not at all

Alternative energy

Not at all

Disaster relief

Not at all

Advocacy with authorities

Not at all

Job training

Not at all

Nongrantmaking Services Offered to Community in Recent Years

Convening for issues of local concern

Occasionally

Promote collaboration between grantees

Occasionally

Promote understanding of public policy

Rarely

Training/capacity-building for local organizations

Often

Advocacy

Rarely

Loaned staff

Rarely

Research

Often

Community needs assessment

Occasionally

Leadership development

Rarely

Internships

Rarely

Providing space for local organizations

Often

Access to information technology

Rarely

Publishing/knowledge sharing

Occasionally

Main Trends Over the Past Year in Geographic Area Served

Poverty

Getting better

Crime

No change

Trust among different sections of the community

Getting better

Equitable distribution of resources and services

Getting better

Social position of marginalized groups

No change

Responsiveness of authorities

No change

Appropriateness of public policies

Getting better

Value of community assets

Getting better

Quality of the environment

Getting better

Number of people and organizations working to change and improve their community

Getting much better

Levels of innovation and risk taking in addressing community problems

Getting better

Networks and links between different parts of the community

Getting much better

Gender equity

Getting better

Charitable giving through the community foundation

Getting much better

Number of people and organizations involved in philanthropic giving

Getting much better

Extent to Which Organization Can Claim Tangible and Measurable Achievements in the Past Three Years

Poverty

Some important achievements

Crime

Do not work in this sphere

Trust among different sections of the community

A few small achievements

Equitable distribution of resources and services

Work in the sphere but no measurable achievement

Social position of marginalized groups

Do not work in this sphere

Responsiveness of authorities

Do not work in this sphere

Appropriateness of public policies

Do not work in this sphere

Value of community assets

Work in the sphere but no measurable achievement

Quality of the environment

Do not work in this sphere

Number of people and organizations working to change and improve their community

A few small achievements

Levels of innovation and risk taking in addressing community problems

Work in the sphere but no measurable achievement

Networks and links between different parts of the community

A few small achievements

Gender equity

Do not work in this sphere

Charitable giving through the community foundation

Some important achievements

Number of people and organizations involved in philanthropic giving

A few small achievements

Active Partnerships

Formal community associations and groups

Little

Informal associations of citizens

N/A

Non-governmental organizations

N/A

Local government

Little

National government

N/A

Universities

N/A

Schools

Lot

Businesses

Lot

Partnerships and External Aid

Other Institutions Helpful to Our Work

National association of grantmakers

N/A

Regional association of grantmakers

N/A

Global Fund for Community Foundations

N/A

Particular foundation

N/A

Other organization

Helpful

Involvement of Local People

Regularly survey local people about our programs

Yes

Local people are engaged in the delivery of our work

Yes

Local people control what our organization does

No

Have local people represented on our board

Yes

Have regular sessions where local people advise us what our programs should do

No

Actively engage local people as volunteers

Yes

All of our board is composed of local people

Yes

Account to local people about our successes and failures each year

Yes

Assistance in Overcoming Main Difficulties Faced in Developing Organization Further

Increased funding

Important

Better legal or fiscal environment

Neither important nor unimportant

More volunteers

Important

Access to advice or technical assistance

Neither important nor unimportant

Better local culture of giving

Very important

Stronger civil society

Neither important nor unimportant

More responsive authorities

Neither important nor unimportant

Other

Did not answer

Most Meaningful Change

Most Meaningful Change that Organization Has Helped to Bring About in the Last Three Years

In 2012 we changed our granting procedures to remove the traditional “Request for Proposal” process and began accepting applications on a regular basis without limits on the amount organizations may request for giving. Because of this process, we are giving grantees the opportunity to strategically review their budget and program needs, develop a budget based on those needs, review funding opportunities and then submit a proposal to the foundation based on their potential shortfall. Because of this change, we tripled the grant dollars awarded in one year and doubled the number of grants awarded.

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Foundation at a Glance

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Mission Statement

Organization Description

Other Description

Approximate Size of the Population Serviced

Total Paid Staff (Full-Time Equivalents)

Total Unpaid Staff (Full-Time Equivalents)

Total Board Members

Financial Information (in U.S. Dollars)

Organization’s Total Income in Last Fiscal Year

Organization’s Gifts Income in Last Fiscal Year

Organization’s Total Expenditures in Last Fiscal Year

Organization’s Grantmaking Budget in Last Fiscal Year

Does Organization Have an Endowment

Value of Endowment (or Financial Reserves) as of the End of Last Fiscal Year

Change in Financial Status Over Last Three Years

Priorities and Achievements

Factors that Played a Role in the Origins of Your Organization

Community leadership

Philanthropic gifts

Grassroots activism

Inadequate government services

Changes in the political environment

Changes in the economic environment

Government initiative funding

Foundation initiative funding

Bilateral or multilateral initiative funding

Favorable legal or fiscal policies

Time Spent Working in Following Areas

Neighborhood

Locally

Regionally

Nationally

Internationally

Rate Importance of the Following Functions

Grantmaking

Having local people as leaders in the organization

Seeking local donations

Having a gender balance in the organization

Board reflective of community diversity

Building an endowment

Serving donor needs

Acting as a fiscal intermediary for the community

Building inclusion and trust in the community

Pursuing equity

Accountability to local people

Raising money for grantmaking annually

Community development

In the Last Year, Extent to Which Programming and/or Grantmaking Involved Work in the Following Areas

Arts and culture

Education

Environment

Health

Human and social services

Human rights

International relations

Religion

Economic development

Conflict resolution/bridging different parts of the community

Information technology

Strengthening local or regional government

Housing

Children

Water

Alternative energy

Disaster relief

Advocacy with authorities

Job training

Nongrantmaking Services Offered to Community in Recent Years

Convening for issues of local concern

Promote collaboration between grantees

Promote understanding of public policy

Training/capacity-building for local organizations

Advocacy

Loaned staff

Research

Community needs assessment

Leadership development

Internships

Providing space for local organizations

Access to information technology

Publishing/knowledge sharing

Main Trends Over the Past Year in Geographic Area Served

Poverty

Crime

Trust among different sections of the community

Equitable distribution of resources and services

Social position of marginalized groups

Responsiveness of authorities

Appropriateness of public policies

Value of community assets

Quality of the environment

Number of people and organizations working to change and improve their community

Levels of innovation and risk taking in addressing community problems

Networks and links between different parts of the community

Gender equity

Charitable giving through the community foundation

Number of people and organizations involved in philanthropic giving

Extent to Which Organization Can Claim Tangible and Measurable Achievements in the Past Three Years

Poverty

Crime

Trust among different sections of the community

Equitable distribution of resources and services

Social position of marginalized groups

Responsiveness of authorities

Appropriateness of public policies

Value of community assets

Quality of the environment

Number of people and organizations working to change and improve their community

Levels of innovation and risk taking in addressing community problems

Networks and links between different parts of the community

Gender equity

Charitable giving through the community foundation

Number of people and organizations involved in philanthropic giving

Active Partnerships

Formal community associations and groups

Informal associations of citizens

Non-governmental organizations

Local government

National government

Universities

Schools

Businesses

Partnerships and External Aid

Other Institutions Helpful to Our Work

National association of grantmakers

Regional association of grantmakers

Global Fund for Community Foundations

Particular foundation

Other organization

Other Institution

Involvement of Local People

Regularly survey local people about our programs

Local people are engaged in the delivery of our work

Local people control what our organization does

Have local people represented on our board

Have regular sessions where local people advise us what our programs should do

Actively engage local people as volunteers

All of our board is composed of local people

Account to local people about our successes and failures each year

Assistance in Overcoming Main Difficulties Faced in Developing Organization Further

Increased funding

Better legal or fiscal environment

More volunteers

Access to advice or technical assistance

Better local culture of giving

Stronger civil society

More responsive authorities

Other

Most Meaningful Change

Most Meaningful Change that Organization Has Helped to Bring About in the Last Three Years